The buildings at 1423-1437 Bloor St West are owned by Kingsett (with billions of portfolio assets), who plan to build an 18 story condo with 0% new affordable housing in place of the affordable rental units that exist.

While the development is being planned, Kingsett is landlord to the current tenants who live in these old buildings. Under KIngsett’s watch, these tenants have experienced:

• Multiple ignored maintenance requests
• Mold issues (and denial of an inspection. A private inspection was required)
• A bathtub falling through a ceiling 
• The boarding up of their windows “for security”
• Graffiti, due to the boarded up windows which make it appear the homes are abandoned  
• Repeated break and enters due to the boarded up windows and graffiti 
  
  

Tenants have chosen to move out but those that cannot asked South JT GROWs for support in having a mural painted on the homes to beautify the space, enhance safety and reduce tagging of their buildings. Together with the tenants, we were awarded $7500 from the City of Toronto to hire a local artist. 

Tenants worked together to decide on the mural, worked with property management to include recommendations from Kingsett to “make it more cheerful”, and mural was approved and started. 

Last week, Kingsett’s property management began to paint over the mural. When asked, Kingsett stated that they no longer would approve of this mural because South JTGROWs is exercising the democratic right of the community to appeal their development’s approval. 

Kingsett is holding the safety and wellbeing of their tenants hostage and bullying this community into dropping our appeal to their building.

This mural costs Kingsett nothing.

Stopping this mural costs:

• Local artists a paying job, time and resources
• Tenants the right to a safe and beautiful space.  
• A community it’s right to democratic process in city planning 

Sign and share widely- this is a terrible precedent for development of Toronto
For a detailed account of this situation, read our blog.